On October 15, Pyongyang blew up parts of the Gyeongui and Donghae railway lines, which connect North and South Korea. Reports say explosions occurred just 10 meters away from the military demarcation line (MDL), which marks the boundary between the two countries. Seoul responded by issuing a stern condemnation and ordering its troops to conduct retaliatory strikes south of the MDL, citing its right to self-defense. Are these developments on the Korean Peninsula a sign of escalating conflict? In this episode of “Taiwan Talks,” we examine the timing and motives of North Korea’s actions, historical developments in inter-Korean relations, and how South Korea may aim to tackle threats from its neighbor. Furthermore, we discuss how the U.S. and China are impacting the Korean Peninsula, and what conflict on the Korean Peninsula would mean for the region at large.

Our guests are:

Huang Kwei-bo
National Chengchi University Department of Diplomacy Professor

Stephen Tan
International Policy Advisory Group Managing Director

Chapters
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:01:01 – Why North Korea Is Acting As U.S. Elections Approach
00:07:59 – What message is Pyongyang sending to Seoul?
00:10:05 – Will Tensions On Korean Peninsula Escalate Further?
00:14:57 – Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Low Approval, Domestic Instability
00:19:47 – Chinese, U.S. influences on Korean Peninsula
00:22:45 – How Taiwan Should Respond to Regional Tensions
00:23:50 – U.S. Allies Form MSMT To Enforce Sanctions on Pyongyang


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